


Choices

by enchanted_doughnut



Category: Helix Waltz (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Fluffy Ending, Romance, the maid doesn't deserve a character tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-06 17:30:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16837177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enchanted_doughnut/pseuds/enchanted_doughnut
Summary: Magda is asked by her mysterious patron to investigate any new secrets the Sakan family may be hiding. As she gently pries information from other nobles, Viscount Sakan catches on to what she’s doing and is not pleased.He gives her one warning to stop. But Magda knows she can’t turn down what her patron asks of her, for the sake of the Ellenstein family.





	Choices

**Author's Note:**

> I'm setting myself up for disappointment with Juven, aren't I? lol It'll be so typical, too! A game full of attractive characters you can romance and I like the one who already has a girlfriend. 
> 
> I'm still fairly new playing this game (As I write this, I'm about halfway through Chapter 3), so there may be canon/lore mistakes? I'm normally a lot more patient getting through the source material before even thinking about writing, but I wanted fanfic and I couldn't find any. So I wrote it myself.

* * *

_“I have come to believe there are secrets within the Sakan family I am not aware of,” the patron’s crackled voice said through the box. “I want you to investigate for me and find out what they are. You will be rewarded for your efforts, as always,”_

The Sakan family was riddled in secrets, of which ones her mysterious patron wanted her to find, Magda had no clue. Was he speaking of Viscount Sakan’s secret lover? If there was something more to Lord Barris’s animosity towards Miss Linglan? 

Despite her uncertainty that she could unearth what the patron was looking for, Magda knew she had no other option. She had to do this, for her mother. So, she attended balls and fancy dinners, ready to coerce information from talkative nobles.

_“I heard Lord Balfey and the Viscount Sakan got into an argument recently, but I don't know what it was about,”_ she said. And, _“Lord Barris has been looking so stressed lately, I wonder if something has happened within the Sakan family?”_

Magda wove fact with fiction, dangling hooked morsels in front of hungry nobles, waiting for them to bite and reveal truths.

_"Oh yes, the little Lord Balfey made quite a scene! I heard his father, Duke Olineaux, stepped in, and…”_ they would reply. And, _“I'm not surprised to hear. Lord Barris is the only thing keeping that family together. After Duke Sakan left…”_

It was exhausting, but it also filled Magda with an excitement she couldn't explain. Dancing and tiptoeing in elegant gowns and with sharp ears, she thrilled in this game she was now playing.

One of the outings was a social ball hosted by the City Assembly. It was crowded and boisterous, and Magda saw friends from all social standings. She preened under their attention and danced until her feet bled, but as the evening turned dark, Magda felt her limit drawing ever closer.

With a smile and cheerful farewells, Magda slowly left the ballroom, focusing on keeping the pain off her face, as her feet stung from raw blisters with each step she took.

“Lady Ellenstein! Are you leaving so soon?”

Magda turned, hearing Viscount Juven Sakan’s voice calling out to her from behind. He sauntered over to her, the ever-present cocky smile on his face.

“I was hoping to have one last glass of wine with you before the night’s over,” he said.

Magda laughed. “One more glass and I might not behave so proper anymore,”

“All the more reason, then,” Juven laughed with her.

“The night is getting late, I’m afraid,” Magda excused herself. “I must be getting home before my mother worries too much,”

“Allow me to escort you out then,” Juven said, offering his arm out to her.

Magda gratefully accepted it, leaning into him as her feet continued to sting unbearably.

“You danced with nearly everyone tonight,” Juven commented. “Your feet must be sore in those shoes,”

_Don’t let anyone see your pain._ That was one of the first lessons her mother taught her. _“I_ danced with everyone? Viscount, every time I looked over at you, you had a different woman in your arms!”

Juven smirked at her and asked, “Were you watching me all evening, Lady Ellenstein?”

Magda blushed realising her words. “Of course not, I simply meant that you were dancing a lot tonight, also,” Magda said, trying to recover.

“Not in those shoes,” Juven gestured to Magda’s jewelled heels. “I would probably be walking like I was stepping on broken glass if I danced all night in those, too.”

_I might as well have stepped on broken glass,_ Magda thought silently.

Juven laughed, reading her face. “You don't need to hide it from me, Eyas. I take care of Barbara every time she comes home crying, her feet full of blisters.”

“You do?” Magda asked, surprised. “You don’t have servants that could tend to her?”

“Of course we do, except when Barbara gets herself into such a state, she’s difficult for them to manage.”

“You mean her feet get so sore? If this is happening frequently, she needs a new cordwainer. I can pass on the details of mine, if you’d like.”

“You say as I’m practically carrying you out of the castle,” Juven said, amused. “I rather meant when she gets upset. She rarely seeks out a servant’s help when she’s distraught, as is becoming more and more the norm, lately.”

“She seems quite unsure of the prospect of marriage,” Magda said. “I believe receiving so many letters from suitors is upsetting her,”

“I’ve heard you have helped reject a few of them for her,” Juven’s tone hadn’t changed, but Magda realised their light conversation had taken a potentially dangerous turn. Was he unhappy with her involvement? She had to be cautious.

“Lady Barbara didn’t feel suited to them,” Magda said. “Surely you agree that she deserves the best and shouldn't settle for anything less?”

“Of course,” Juven said. “I just don’t believe she knows who that is,”

“I’m not sure about that,” Magda said thoughtfully. “I think she does have someone in mind,”

“Oh?” Juven turned to her, surprised. “Who?”

Magda shook her head. “I’m sorry, I don’t know. It’s just a feeling I have,”

Juven hummed. “I would have thought with all the digging around you’ve been doing you would know. Pity.” 

Magda’s breath caught in her chest. He just said…

They had stopped walking, and Juven pulled back from Magda to look at her properly. His eyes bore into hers with an intensity few saw on the flirtatious Viscount. “Yes, I know you’ve been prying into my family's secrets. I am going to assume you’re acting on the instruction of your patron,” he said. “However, I am going to very politely, ask you to stop.”

Magda still couldn’t breathe as her mind scrambled for something to say. An apology. A denial. Anything.

Juven leaned in, his mouth beside her ear and his voice dropped down into a murmur. “Take this as my first and only warning, Eyas. Cease your investigations, now. And tell your _patron_ that he can very easily find what he's looking for if he stayed in Finsel for longer than a day." 

_The Viscount knows who my patron is...?_ Magda thought, the realisation shocking her. _Who is he?_

Juven smiled as he pulled away from her, but Magda took no comfort in it. Taking her hand he pressed a kiss on the back of her knuckles. “Sleep well, Eyas. I hope your feet feel better in the morning.”

* * *

That night, Magda barely slept, the Viscount’s warning too fresh in her mind. She had to tell the patron in the morning she couldn't complete this mission. She had been too bold, too sloppy. Viscount Sakan revealed her, and she had to back down.

After a night of tossing and turning, Magda finally fell asleep, and when she woke in the morning, she had a new plan.

Yes, she had been too forward, but really, she was given a warning to be more careful. She had been lucky it was Viscount Sakan who caught her. What if she had been found by Grand Duke Bavlenka spying on his family? She wouldn't see daylight again.

No, Magda couldn't stop. She had to do this for her for her mother. To repay her mother for everything she had done for Magda, restoring the Ellenstein family into the Senate was the least she could do. She just needed to be more careful.

So, Magda got dressed in her newest bespoke gown and attended more parties. With her intent bottled up carefully, Magda continued inquiring about the Sakan family with innocent curiosity, making sure not to press too hard or look overly interested. It would take longer now, not to lead a trail of questions back to her, but Magda knew she could do this.

After another late outing, Magda returned home, her feet sore and her stomach bursting inside her corset. There had been the most delicious food at the Noble Salon and Magda couldn’t stop herself from trying to sample everything. Leaning over her vanity, Magda closed her eyes and took deep breaths, trying not to focus on how her ribs felt like they were getting squashed, or how bloated she felt. She would be fine once the maid got her out of these clothes. 

Where _was_ that maid? Magda had ordered her to follow her up to her room, but she seemed to have disappeared. Magda took another deep breath, feeling suffocated in the tight corset.

That’s it, she was getting out of this corset with or without the maid’s help. Reaching behind her back, Magda struggled with the buttons on her dress, her fingers fumbling over their awkward design.

“Would you like a hand, Lady Ellenstein?”

Magda screamed and collided heavily into the vanity as she jumped, the vase of flowers nearly tipping over and the bottle of perfumes clinking. “You… how did you get in?!” she clutched her chest as she stared wide-eyed at Juven on the other side of the room.

Juven blinked innocently. “Through the door of course. Would you like me to help you undress? I have some experience in the matter,”

Magda flushed at his crude implications and fought not to hold her arms over her chest to shield her body from his gaze. “You shouldn’t be in my bedroom,” Magda said. “It’s highly improper -”

Rapid knocking came from the door and Juven quickly side-stepped as it was flung open. “Lady Magda! Viscount Sakan is here to see you!” the maid said, hurrying in.

“Yes, I can see that he is,” Magda said, her voice having more bite to it than normal. “Please prepare some tea for the Viscount and me in the sitting room. We will continue our discussion there,”

“You don’t need to go to that trouble, I’m fine having our conversation here,” Juven said, waving his hand.

“Please, Viscount Sakan, I must insist…” Magda said, feeling sick in her stomach. She couldn’t be alone with a man in her bedroom!

“It’s only a short social visit, I’ll be gone before the water boils,” Juven said shrugging, seemingly unaware of Magda’s discomfort. She highly doubted he was, though. 

The maid looked between Magda and Juven for instruction, with wide eyes and poorly concealed curiosity. Swallowing, Magda said, “I will talk with the Viscount here, instead. You may leave,”

“... Yes, milady,” the pause in the maid’s voice made Magda want to wince, but she remained composed. What was her mother going to say when she found out about this? Magda didn’t even want to imagine.

The maid left, the door behind her closing with an audible click, sounding like Magda’s fate sealing shut.

“How may I help you, Viscount Sakan?” Magda asked, wanting for him to leave as quickly as possible.

He didn’t answer straight away. Instead, he walked slowly up to Magda, his movements akin to a predator stalking their prey. Magda backed away, but her legs hit the vanity, trapping her.

Juven stepped up to her until he was a hair’s breadth away from her. “I told you to stop with your investigations, Eyas,” his voice was almost a whisper, sending a shiver down Magda’s entire body.

“I… I didn’t,” Magda tried to lie, but he held a finger up to her lips.

“I don’t want your excuses,” he said. “I told you to stop, and you didn’t. So, what are we going to do about this?”

Magda didn’t know if it was him or the corset that had completely stopped her breath. She gaped at him, unable to speak.

“How about I give you a choice, Lady Ellenstein,” Juven said, placing his hands on the vanity, either side of Magda. As if she could have fled him, before. “You were investigating my family, so I could return the favour. I wonder if there are secrets Eliza Ellenstein hides even from you,”

“No,” Magda said, the force in her voice made Juven reel back in surprise. “Don’t you dare bring my mother into this.”

Juven’s eyes sparkled with mirth at her reaction. “Or perhaps, I could spread a little rumour about you. I believe I still owe you one for my dealings with a hooded black figure in the slums, after all.”

“You can spread whatever rumour about me you wish, but please leave my mother out of this,” Magda said, trying to keep her voice calm, but unable to keep a slither of desperation out.

" _Whatever rumour I wish,_ Eyas, you must be more careful with your words,” Juven chided her. “I could make up a terrible lie and you would have to slink away from Finsel in shame.”

“It would have no fact,” Magda bit out. “It would soon die down as everyone realises there is no proof supporting it,”

Juven smirked at her words. He looked strangely pleased. “Rumours are damaging whether they are fact or not. __You__ are already aware of that, my meddling little Eyas. But if you insist on fact, then I have no choice…”

Magda gasped as he leaned forward and kissed her.

It was soft and chaste, like two hands held together in a dance. One second, two seconds, Magda couldn’t count over her racing heart, then Juven pulled back, the movement slow and lingering, leaving Magda in a confused, heart-racing mess. 

“You… what, you…” Magda couldn’t speak, her mind like rubble from a magical explosion in the Spiral Spire. _Hekissedmehekissedmehekissedme-_

Juven whispered in her ear, “The maid you sent away saw the entire thing. She has been spying through the keyhole the moment she left the room. I would give this rumour less than a day to circulate. After all, it is _true,”_

Magda pushed Juven away with strength surprising even herself and raced to the door. As she threw it open, the maid on the other side cried out in alarm, falling over. "Don’t you _dare_ tell anyone what you just saw,” Magda threatened, her face as red. “It wasn’t what it looked like,”

“Thank you for seeing me at such a late hour Lady Ellenstein,” Juven said, stepping out of the room past her, smiling happily. “I look forward to seeing you at the next gathering. I believe my family is hosting it?”

Juven gave Magda a deep, overly exaggerated bow, before laughing and showing himself out.

* * *

“Magda, there are words going around that you and Viscount Sakan are… _involved,”_ Magda’s mother said the next morning over breakfast.

Magda dropped her fork into her plate of scrambled eggs with a clatter. “No! They’re lies!” she insisted.

“How did something like this spread?” her mother asked, confused. “And so quickly. Have you been flirting with him at dances? I warned you, it’s better to steer clear of someone who is so… free with their affection.”

Magda groaned in a decidedly unladylike manner and buried her face in her hands. 

“Elbows off the table, Magda,” her mother scolded, battering at her arms with a fan.

“The Viscount stopped by the night before last,” Magda confessed. “You know how he drops by unannounced, sometimes. He came into my room,”

Her mother gasped. “Magda, you let a maninto your bedroom?!”

“I didn’t want to!” Magda said to her horrified mother. “I tried to take him to the sitting room, but he insisted that it was only a short visit and there was no need,”

_“Magda,”_ Magda flinched at her mother’s tone. She hadn’t heard that voice since she was an unruly child. “You are an unmarried noble lady! You absolutely cannot have a man in your chambers until your wedding!”

“I know, but… ” Magda wanted to reveal the Viscount knew about their patron’s request and that’s why he visited her, but her mother looked so distraught by this already, she decided not to add on more worries.

Beside her, with the silence of a dormouse, the maid placed a fresh pot of tea on the table.

“You!” Magda exclaimed jumping to her feet, her chair scraping back on the floor with a loud screech. “I _ordered_ you not to say anything!”

“I’m so sorry, milady!” the maid shrank away from Magda, holding the silver tray in front of her like a shield. “I didn’t tell nobody,”

“If you told no-one, then why are you apologising?” Magda snarled, anger boiling inside of her.

“Magda, enough!” her mother had risen to her feet. “Your behaviour is appalling!”

“She spread the rumour!” Magda pointed her finger at the maid. “She saw the Viscount a-and I…” Magda’s words stumbled to a stop. She didn’t want to tell her mother what happened.

“You have no-one but yourself to blame for this, Magda,” her mother said, sternly. _“You_ let a known womaniser into your bedroom! Things like this spread like wildfire!”

“They wouldn’t have if _she_ kept her mouth shut,” Magda said, glaring at the maid.

“Do not blame her for your poor decision,” her mother said. “Now, what’s done is done. I hope you learned a valuable lesson from this,” 

Magda had learned many lessons, none of them, however, were what her mother was referring to.

“I was looking over your invitations earlier and saw there is a ball tomorrow hosted by the Sakan family,” her mother said, sitting back down at the dining table, behaving like the last few minutes never happened. “I was already going to suggest avoiding events Viscount Sakan is attending, but _now…”_

Magda did her best not to squirm at her mother’s lingering sentence. “I believe you’re right,” she said. “I will avoid the Viscount until this dies down.”

“It does raise a question, however,” her mother said. “What are your plans for marriage? If you’re interested in the Sakan family, Lord Barris is a far better choice. He’s a proper gentleman, not like his nephew,”

“Lord Barris is a very kind man,” Magda agreed diplomatically with her.

_“He_ certainly wouldn’t barge his way into your bedroom with uncouth intentions.”

“Mother!” Magda gasped as her face flushed red. 

* * *

While the rumour embarrassed Magda, it seemed to turn out mostly harmless. Many nobles didn’t even believe it to be true, given Viscount Sakan’s reputation for flirting with every woman in Finsel, and chalked it up to gossip of such gone awry. Magda did her best to stress this, and those willing to believe more exaggerated versions of it (namely Lady Lynna and Miss Kelly) were soon left looking disappointed. Following her mother’s advice, Magda avoided events the Viscount was set to attend, so as not to add any fuel to the fire.

At one Youth Wine Tasting luncheon, Magda was enjoying a lovely, Viscount-free afternoon, when she noticed a familiar face, looking particularly uncomfortable at the gathering. Smiling, Magda made her way over to him.

“Mr Alan!” Magda greeted the guard captain.

“Ah, Lady Magda, it’s good to see you again,” Alan said, a delicate blush appearing on his cheeks when he saw her. Magda wondered how such a seemingly gentle man became captain of the city guard. But then, Magda had never seen him work. She had only seen him at these type of gatherings.

As they chatted away with idle talk - _“The craftsmanship that goes into making glass bottles is incredible!” -_ Magda noticed Alan seemed more reserved with her than normal. He was quite shy and uncomfortable at these events, but Magda thought she had helped him come out of his shell more. Apparently, not.

“Mr Alan,” Magda said, her voice dropping low. “Is everything okay?”

Alan glanced around them. “Let’s find somewhere quieter to talk,” he said, guiding Magda to one of the far walls of the ballroom. Magda noticed several curious gazes watching them as they walked past.

“What is it, Mr Alan?” she asked when they were alone. “Has something happened?”

“I heard that you and Viscount Sakan are involved,” Alan said.

“Those are false rumours,” she said. “This Viscount and I are not in any kind of relationship,”

“The rumours are he spent the night in your bedroom and was seen leaving the next morning, his clothes askew,” Alan said.

Magda frowned at this. “That definitely didn’t happen,” she said truthfully. “Mr Alan, what kind of lady do you think I am?”

Alan winced, missing her teasing tone. “I’m sorry Lady Magda, I shouldn’t have believed such rumours. It’s only,” Alan’s cheeks blushed. “You are unlike any other noblewoman I’ve ever met. I care for you a lot, and the thought of you with another man…”

Magda’s breath caught in her throat at his confession. Her mother’s words rang in her ears, her warning to stay away from the guard captain. He was a civilian, she couldn’t fall in love with him! She could only ever be friends with him.

“Forgive me for speaking so boldly, Lady Magda,” Alan said. “I’m not used to the hidden words and games you nobles play. I had to tell you how I was feeling.” 

Magda didn’t know how to respond. If she politely thanked him, like she did with other declarations of love, no doubt she would break his heart. Magda looked around the ballroom, desperately seeking inspiration.

Wait, were they always so close…?

Magda’s stomach clenched as she saw several nobles standing nearby, casting sly glances in her and Alan’s direction. They probably heard his confession. Magda was going to be in the middle of new romantic gossip, now.

“The song playing is so lovely,” Magda said. “It’s so upbeat, perfect to dancing to,”

“Oh,” Alan looked taken aback by her sudden change of topic. “Would you like to dance, Lady Magda?”

Magda smiled at him. “I would love to!”

* * *

“I didn’t berate you about Viscount Sakan so you would run into the arms of Mr Alan!” Magda’s mother lectured her, the moment the rumours of Alan’s confession reached her ears. “I’d rather you stay with the Viscount!”

“Mother, there is nothing going on with either the Viscount or Mr Alan,” Magda said, her organs being compressed as the maid pulled the strings on her corset tighter. Magda caught the maid’s eyes in the vanity mirror and gave her nasty glare, warning her to keep her mouth shut.

“Why can’t you just pick a nice man to marry,” her mother said woefully, sitting on the edge of Magda’s bed as she got dressed. “Like Lord Barris,”

“When I’m ready to get married, I promise I will consider Lord Barris, mother,” Magda said as the maid finishing tying her corset.

“Of course these rumours are quick to spread,” her mother said quietly, like she was speaking more to herself. “You’re a beautiful, unmarried woman. Every time a bachelor speaks to you, people are watching.”

“I’m aware of that,” Magda said. “That’s how this last rumour started.” _And the previous._ Magda glared at the maid through the mirror, again. 

Fully dressed, Magda sat down at the vanity, picking out her jewellery. Blue was in fashion right now, so Magda picked the pair of sapphire earrings that matched her eyes. 

“You know that I’m harsh on you because I love you, don’t you Magda?” her mother said, making Magda turn around in surprise.

“Of course I know that,” she said.

“I only want the best for you,”

“And I want the best for you,” Magda knelt down in front of her mother, holding her hands. “I want to restore the Ellenstein family to its former glory, like you once knew it. I’m not even focused on marriage until then,”

“You don’t need to wait, Magda,” her mother said, touching her cheek. “There are many eligible men in Finsel. You don’t need to turn them away for my sake. Unless it’s one of those mercenaries. You would leave Finsel and never come back if you married one of them!”

“I promise that if I marry one of Gold Merc. Corps, I won’t go off on adventures with them,” Magda laughed. _Although it sounded exciting…_

“Oh,” her mother waved her hand in front of her face, looking like she smelled something bad. “You’ll be better off just steering clear of all of them,”

Magda laughed. “Yes, mother.”

The dinner at the Olineaux estate started off as a quiet affair, but as Vicky kept pushing glasses of her new homemade wine into people’s hands, Magda, along with the other visiting nobles, became much freer with their inhibitions. Magda felt like it had golden sparks inside her head and bubbles in her stomach by the time the dancing started, the room spinning around her as she danced with Balfey. Magda laughed as she tripped over Balfey’s feet, but no-one else seemed bothered by her unladylike behaviour. 

As the room spun around her, she caught a blur of pinkish-red in the sea of blue and purple. Turning her head to follow, Magda’s body froze seeing Viscount Sakan by the edge of the dance floor, talking with Duke Olineaux.

“Ahh! I’m so sorry!” Magda said as she bumped into a couple dancing beside her, ruining her steps.

_Why is he here?!_ Viscount Sakan wasn’t on the invitation list for this dinner! Magda felt her heart start to race and suddenly felt claustrophobic being in the same room as him.

“Excuse me, Lord Balfey,” Magda excused herself. “I need some fresh air, for a moment.”

“Sister, are you okay? Do you need a drink?” Balfey asked, looking concerned.

Magda shook her head. “I think I’ve drunk too much, Lord Balfey. I’ll just need a moment,” she said, before all but fleeing out onto the balcony. 

Magda was glad she had worn a coat, as she felt the cool air on her face. Standing in front of the stone balustrade, Magda clutched her chest in a futile attempt to adjust her corset, so she could breathe a little easier. Why was she reacting this way? Was it Vicky’s wine? Magda knew she had drunk too much, but not _that_ much. She had felt so light and cheerful before she saw him. Now… now she didn’t know how she felt.

Magda heard the door behind her creak as someone joined her outside. Magda tried to keep her expression controlled as she watched Juven walk up to her.

“I haven’t seen you in such a long time, Lady Ellenstein,” he said. “I’m starting to think you’re avoiding me,”

Magda swallowed thickly. “Of course not, Viscount,” she lied. “I’ve simply had so many invitations of late, I haven’t been able to attend all of them,”

Juven smiled at her. “You’re certainly rising quickly. All thanks to the support of your patron. What immoral tasks has he asked of you recently?”

“... Who said my patron was a he?” Magda said.

Juven looked stunned for a moment, before quickly recovering. “I merely assumed someone with such an interest in you would be a man,” he said smoothly. “I admit to my mistake. You certainly capture the attention of many women too, Eyas.” 

Magda’s head felt fuzzy. She struggled to focus on his words, the only thing she could concentrate on was how close he was standing to her, and how soft his lips felt against hers when they kissed. Would they feel the same a second time?

“Are you thinking about our kiss, Eyas?” he said, making Magda jump. _How did he know?!_

“O-of course not,” Magda lied, turning away from him.

Juven grabbed her elbow, spinning her around back to him. Magda gasped, suddenly far too close to him - _like before, in her bedroom_ \- and heat rushed to her face. “Why don’t you say that to my face,” he purred.

Magda tried to act like he wasn’t affecting her, but when he leaned in to kiss her again, her eyes fluttered closed and her mouth parted for him.

When they pulled back, he pressed their foreheads together, savouring their closeness. “You taste like rose water,” he murmured. 

“... It’s a new lipstick on the market,” Magda said. “It’s made from roses and makes your lips plump up,”

“Is that why my lips are tingling? And here I thought that was all your doing,” Juven let out a puff of laughter.

Magda placed her hands on his chest and gently pushed him back. “Viscount, please don’t play with me,” she said. “I know about you and Miss Asteria. You can’t promise me anything while you love her,”

Juven pulled back, staring at Magda critically. “And what do you know about Asteria and me?” he asked, his tone neutral.

“That she was the one you met in the brothel, that time I saw you in the slums,” Magda said. “I’ve seen you together at parties when you think no-one’s watching.”

Juven’s eyes narrowed. “Never a moment’s rest, my busy little busybody,” he murmured. “I’m surprised you kept such a secret to yourself,”

Magda felt hurt by his words. Juven saw her expression and sighed. “What you think you know and see is only a small piece to a large puzzle,” he said. “There is nothing between Asteria and me, anymore,”

“Anymore…?” Magda repeated, stunned.

Juven started laughing. “Eyas, you are far too tipsy to pry information from me, right now. Switch off that meddling little mind of yours, just for one night.”

“That’s a rich insult, coming from you,” Magda said, slightly affronted. “You’re just as bad as I am,”

“As _bad?”_ Juven repeated, surprised. “I’m by far better at it than you! Need I remind you how many times I’ve helped you, purely out of the kindness of my own heart?”

Magda bit her cheek to stop herself from making a choice reply. _No, he was right._ “Thank you,” she said, catching him by surprise. “Thank you for all the times you’ve helped me. I don’t think I could have made it this far, without you,”

Juven looked surprised for a moment before a happy smile grew on his face. “You are most welcome, Eyas.”

Juven kissed her again and Magda felt like swooning into his arms. She felt a heat inside of her, but as she stepped closer to Juven, to feel his body against hers, he pulled away.

“It’s getting chilly out here,” he said. “Would you like to go back inside and dance, Eyas?”

Magda considered his warm hand in hers and imagined trying to dance in a room full of people when all she could think about was kissing him again. There would be new rumours before the night’s end.

“I don’t think I should, Viscount,” Magda regrettably refused. “I think I need to get home and sleep off whatever Lady Vicky gave me to drink,”

“I’ll escort you home, then,” Juven offered, his eyes sparkling in an ungentlemanly like manner.

“I don’t think Mother would even let you into the house, after last time,” Magda said, as she wrapped her arm around his.

“Then, Eyas, you don’t tell her,” Juven murmured into her ear. 

“And what of my maid and butler? Will you sneak in through the window, like a lovestruck boy after curfew?”

“Lady Ellenstein, I’m merely walking you home after you drank too much wine,” Juven said, looking shocked. “What are you imagining that involves me sneaking in through your window?!” 

“N-nothing!” Madga flushed.

“Are you about to confess your love for me? Should I arrange the wedding now?”

“No! I mean… I don’t know!” Magda flushed even brighter. “Shouldn’t you be courting me before talks of marriage?”

“That’s what I’m trying to do, my impatient, beautiful Eyas,” Juven laughed. “You’re the one jumping ahead!”


End file.
